CCW

A CCW is a permit to Carry a Concealed Weapon.  When the word weapon is used, what is meant is a gun.  Guns carry a whole subset of meanings  to people. Some people think guns are scary.  Some think that guns only belong in the hands of the police.  Some think that guns are what keep America free.  I don't know about all of that.  I know that around these parts, people own guns.

 In the state of Nevada, there are huge wide open spaces.  I feel comfortable having a gun with me.  I feel prepared to shoot a mountain lion or other animal that is attacking me.  I am often alone at camp or sitting in the truck waiting for Hubby to come back from a hunt.  Would I shoot someone whom I think is a direct threat to me?  Yeah, I would.  There is no one else to rely on but myself.

This is actually a big philosophical question.  People should think long and hard about this question before they decide to get a CCW.  The gun is a tool to protect you from bad people but if you have this tool and are unwilling to use it - well, you can be sure that the bad guy that takes it from you will be willing to use that gun to coerce, force, threaten, wound, rape, sodomize or kill you.  It is that simple.

So, this is a question worth considering before you decide to get a CCW.  Do you have the gumption to use the gun if a person becomes a reasonably certain imminent threat of your safety, or the safety of your family and friends or even strangers,  through unlawful use of force directed against a yourself or others?

This is a completely different question than do you want to use force against someone else even in the event that you life is threatened.  I never want to have to stop the threat of imminent harm by another human being.  I reasonably think  that it is necessary when life threatening injuries or death at the hands of another is imminent.

I totally respect that a lot of people would disagree with me.  I think if you are a pacifist of  some sort, fine.  I totally respect that.  I realize that you have your reasons for believing that way.  I, on the other hand, do not intend to go peacefully to my rape, dismemberment or murder nor would I hand my child [if I had one] over to a murdering/raping SOB.  There are a lifetime of consequences for the victim if they live and no lifetime left at all should they die.  How horrible is that?